Top 5 Games of Last Week (5/5/14 – 5/11/14)

In this article:

Both the NBA and NHL playoffs have taken a step down in quality since Round 2 started, but hey, Round 1 set lofty, lofty standards. And regardless, so far this has been the best playoffs for both sports that I can remember. Keep it up, and they may have a shot and challenging the NFL.

#5. NHL Playoffs, Game 3 – Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings

Down 2-0, the Ducks looked dead in the water. You knew it, I knew it, they knew it. But in an unlikely twist, the Ducks upped their level of play in L.A.. With tickets at $229.34, no doubt Kings fans were paying to see their team take a 3-0 lead before closing it out Saturday night. Instead, the Ducks fought back, clinging to their 3-2 lead after the Kings scored a late goal to make it 3-2 and frantically tried to score again before the game finished.

#4. NBA Playoffs, Game 3 – Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers

The media and fans couldn’t have been much harder on Roy Hibbert after his latest disappearing act, this time in Game 1 in the series against the Wizards. Hibbert reportedly talked to teammates, advisors, and pretty much anyone that would lend an ear, desperate to dig himself out of the slump he’d been in for the past month. It worked. Hibbert returned with a vengeance, scoring a season high 28 points and grabbing nine rebounds. The Pacers won, but needed every one of Hibbert’s points, as Paul George continued a mini-slump of his own, scoring just 11 points.

#3. NBA Playoffs, Game 4 – Indiana Pacers at Washington Wizards

Sunday night was Paul George’s turn to bust out of his slump, as he took aim and scored 39 points. Down by as many as 20 points, the Pacers charged back and completed their improbably comeback with a 95-92 victory, securing a 3-1 lead in the series. Once up 1-0 in Indiana, the Wizards have crumbled at home, losing both games and looking overmatched against the suddenly clicking Pacers. John Wall and Bradley Beal will need their best stuff heading into Tuesday’s Game 5.

Down by as many as 22 points, the Clippers stormed back in the fourth quarter, taking advantage of a superior small-ball offense to go on a 21-8 streak. The surprise player of the game? Chris Paul, but not for what he did on offense, but for what he did on defense against Kevin Durant. The Durantula was all thumbs with Paul on him, and either turned the ball over or passed it away, just as the Thunder needed a flurry of points to finish off the Clippers. In the fourth quarter, nothing worked for the Thunder, and the Clippers took advantage to give the home crowd a show, stealing a win against OKC, 101-99. Clippers fans, you saw the biggest comeback so far in this year’s playoffs for just $169.95. That’s your bang-for-your-buck game of the week.

#1. NHL Playoffs, Game 4 – Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens

In the words of Bill Murray in Caddyshack, “It’s a Cinderella story,” except it wasn’t at the Masters. One day after being called up, Matt Fraser scored the one and only goal of the game – in OT no less – to give the Bruins the victory. By his own admission, Fraser got lucky on a rebound, but I have a feeling he’ll take it. For one day, at least, Fraser’s the hero of a major NHL fan base, and the MVP of a playoff game. Not too shabby.